quadbikeI think low level strike is still very much a part of IAF doctrine. The DARIN III Jags with Terrain following radars & ASRAAM for self defense & Honeywell Engines will be really potent.
quadbikeArmy, IAF hold demonstration as part of their biggest fight drill in Thar
Around 60,000 personnel have been participating in the Indian Army’s biggest war game so far — Operation Sudarshan Shakti — which has been going on in the Thar desert.
A large demonstration was organised on Wednesday which was attended by senior officers of army and air force along with journalists from across the country.
As many as 400 cannons, 3,000 tanks and more than 7,000 armoured vehicles are involved in the display of might. The army has been strengthening its war fighting skills and putting to test some of its newly inducted communication and battlefield surveillance radars.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has also joined in the exercise with its operation codenamed Mahagajraj. Sukhois, Jaguars, MiGs and Airborne Warning and Control Systems (AWACs) are part of this joint exercise.
quadbikeF 35 going strong as ever. 😀
quadbikeWhat’ll you do when it flies? Promise us to stop sleeping – like how you promised us about not making “educated guesses” ??:D
Nothing i will say NAICEEEE when it flies.
quadbike:rolleyes:
NP1 is about to fly soon and you call it a non-starter? Do you even know what a non-starter means ? IN has already paid for the first 6 prototypes and the program is moving on, regardless of your opinion of it. the IN will back it to the hilt if it meets specifications they have listed out for it.
May not be a non starter but pretty much a delayed starter. Wake everyone up when it flies.
😉
quadbikeIs there a suit that lets you survive 12G ? One of the touted advantage of UCAVs is that they can do more Gs since there is no pilot.
quadbikeMay be an old page before the real thing flew for the first time ?
Nothing about the AMCA either.
quadbikeSuper Tomcat it is !
quadbikeChinese reapproachment with Soviet Union actually started in mid-80s. continued in 90s.
IAF discussions would be rather empty don’t you think with out a fundamental review of where the top level requirements actually came from?
I am afraid if we continue this way one of the mods is going to get the thread closed.
Lets talk about IAF.
Do you think the MRCA for example will add to it deterrent value via vis China.
quadbike^^^ Helped immensely by the collapse of Soviet Union. Can we discuss IAF news now 🙂
quadbikeContacts with Russia, France, Ukraine to upgrade IAF fleet
Contracts have been signed with Russia, France and Ukraine for upgradation of the flying fleet of Indian Air Force, Defence Minister A K Antony informed the Rajya Sabha today.
“Contracts have been signed with RAC MiG Russia for upgradation of MiG-29 aircraft, with Spets Techno Export from Ukraine for upgradation of An-32 aircraft and with Thales, France along with with HAL for upgrade of the Mirage-2000 aircraft,” he said in a written reply.
He said mid-life upgradation of the fleet is a continuous process and is undertaken to retain the combat relevance of the aircraft.
Antony said the capability building of IAF to meet emerging security challenges is taken as per the Long Term Plan of the force.
“The Capability building involves both upgradation of existing systems and platforms as well as induction of state of the art modern equipment,” he said.
On procurement of amphibious assault vessels, he said, “A contract has been concluded with GRSE, Kolkata in September for construction of eight Land Craft Utility ships, which are likely to be inducted in the Indian Navy during 2013-15.”
quadbikeIndian Air Force processing case for buying 6 air-to-air refullers
Indian Air Force is processing a case for procuring six air-to-air refullers from the global market, Defence Minister A K Antony told Rajya Sabha today.
In written reply to a question on purchase of mid-air refullers, he said, “IAF is processing a case for procurement of six air-to-air refullers from the global market.”
On its likely induction schedule, he said, “The Defence Procurement Procedure envisages a timeline of about two and half years from the date of issue of request for proposal to conclusion of contract in such multi-vendor cases.
“The delivery schedule is expected to be between 36 and 51 months from the date of signing the contract.”
Replying to a question on shortage of aircraft, Antony said, “Procurement and induction of different types of helicopters required for operational and transportation tasks is underway.”
He said that the requirement of aircraft including helicopters is periodically reviewed and steps are taken to ensure that the operational requirement of the IAF are met.
In his reply to a question on the steps taken by the government to simplify the procurement process, he said, “To counter systemic and institutional delays, procedures are continuously refined on the basis of experience gained and feedback received during the procurement process.”
quadbikeArmy May Get its way with Helicopter ops
Army in pursuit of winged dream
The Indian Air Force may crib all it wants, but the Army is pressing on regardless – with its plans to have its own air force, albeit a ‘mini’ one. Fighter jets may not be on its wish-list, but the 1.13-million strong force wants everything else, from attack helicopters to fixed-wing aircraft.
Army’s long-term plans include a squadron each of attack/armed, reconnaissance/observation and tactical battle-support copters for each of its 13 corps. The three ‘strike’ corps, with HQs at Mathura (1 Corps), Ambala (2 Corps) and Bhopal (21 Corps) will get more ‘air assets’ in keeping with their primary offensive role, say sources.
To top it off, each of Army’s six regional or operational commands will at least get ‘a flight’ of five fixed-wing aircraft for tactical airlift of troops and equipment. “Army Aviation Corps, which is observing its 25th anniversary this month and operates around 250 light helicopters, has plans till the end of the 14th Plan (2022-27),” said a source.
In the short to medium term, AAC plans to induct 259 light-utility and observation helicopters to replace its ageing Cheetah and Chetak fleets that service Siachen, Kargil and other high-altitude areas.
Army Aviation Corps also wants 140 multi-role tactical battle-support helicopters to provide ‘integral tactical lift to its formations’ and 114 light combat helicopters that are being developed indigenously.
Army is slated to get its first-ever attack helicopter squadron by February-March. These copters will be weaponized versions of indigenous Dhruv advanced light helicopters, called the Rudra, armed with 20mm turret guns, 70mm rockets, air-to-air missiles and anti-tank guided missiles.
Army and Indian Air Force have long been engaged in the bitter dogfight over ‘air assets’, which erupted even during the 1999 Kargil conflict. The persistent turf war forced defence minister A K Antony to call for a ceasefire, maintaining the two forces should work in synergy by reconciling differences.
Holding that IAF does not fully comprehend its operational philosophy and concepts like ‘close air support’ or ‘nuances of the tactical battle area’, Army says it wants ‘full command and control’ over ‘tactical air assets’ for rapid deployment.
IAF contends ‘air assets’ are ‘scarce resources’ that should be handled by a force with operational expertise and requisite ‘air-mindedness’. But Army is unconvinced.
Itfeels the IAF can continue with its larger ‘strategic role’ and the ‘tactical role’ should be left to it.
For one, AAC aviators and engineers are drawn from Army combat arms, like infantry, mechanized infantry, armoured corps, air defence and artillery.
quadbikeIndia is on its feet and doing very well thank you for your concern JSR.
In news
War gaming centre to prepare IAF for global operations
India is setting up a war gaming centre for its air force to enable the aerospace power train for warfare anywhere in the world by simulating scenarios at the strategic and operational levels.
The Delhi-based War Gaming Centre (WGC), as the Indian Air Force (IAF) would call it, will be up and functioning in about three years from now and will be more advanced than the Gwalior-based Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE), a top IAF officer told IANS here.
The WGC will be modelled on the Indian Army’s Delhi-based WARDEC or War Gaming Development Centre, but would go much beyond the latter’s role to develop warfare doctrines for strategic reach, he said.
“The system will be able to generate scenario and simulation at strategic and operational levels in collaboration with other agencies, both military and civil, at the national level,” the officer said.
“The facility will have the capability to play the war game in coordination with or independently from varied locations across the country,” he said.
“The centre will paint scenarios anywhere in the world,” he added.
Air Chief Marshal Norman Anil Kumar Browne had, in his first press conference as IAF chief Oct 3, pointed out that his force’s area of responsibility is beyond the Indian Ocean region and wherever India’s strategic interests lie.
Apart from taking into account the current fleet of aircraft, helicopters and infrastructure of the IAF, the centre will also cater to future inductions of aircraft and systems.
The WGC will be capable of playing out scenarios of being a neutral power, apart from planning for high number of contingencies and missions, and address issues like application of air power.
“Most importantly, the centre will provide and incorporate out-of-area contingencies, and include army and naval forces deployment in the overall simulation models, to help in planning and execution of joint operations,” the officer said.
The WGC will carry out strategic and operational doctrinal selection, integrate aerospace elements in the planning, and allow for execution of the war game in “real and turbo” time.
With a seamless integration of existing tactical war gaming tools and packages in the IAF, the centre, once established, will undertake creation of a bank of scenarios and objectives, including secondary ones, of various types for use in all planned exercises of the IAF.
quadbikeas for the Sino-Pakistan Nexus… India has no oneelse to blame except itself. on both front. the knot is in your heart.
Many here will disagree with this.
India & China has unresolved border issues and have huge conflict of interests, so IMO can never be allies in the foreseeable future (not that I don’t want them to be).
India need to seek all the help it can get to balance its position in the middle of two nuclear powers.
And yes weapon purchases and wider alliance with the United States is one way to go about it.
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